Here's What's Hot On CBS11TV.COM:
Mar 24, 2008 1:34 pm US/Central
Arsonists Torch The Car Of A Dallas Constable
Just One Of Several Dallas Vehicle Fires In Last Month
DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
More than 20 car fires, believed to be acts of arsonists, have been reported in the Dallas area within the last month. The arsonists struck again early Monday morning, this time taking the crime to a whole new level.
Just after 2 a.m. Monday morning, the car of a Dallas constable was torched while parked in the 1400 block of East 9th Street. This is the same area where nearly two dozen car fires have taken place since February.
Prior to the constable's car on Monday morning, three vehicles were torched on Sunday in Oak Cliff.
Damage to all of the cars has varied. The destroyed vehicles were parked along or near streets. Losses from all of the fires have been estimated at $87,000 total.
According to police and fire officials, the arson method is the same in all cases. Gasoline is poured into the vehicle, between the hood and the windshield, then a match is dropped inside. Fire investigators are trying to determine if all of the cases are related.
At a news conference Monday afternoon, police said they don't have even a description of the suspects. Chief David Kunkle said the department has had both marked and unmarked police cars in the area, and plans to fly its helicopter there as well.
In the meantime, residents in the Dallas area are now on alert. "I imagine it's kids," said arson victim Mike Sweezy. "Maybe some kind of initiation or kids playing pranks. They need to stop it because somebody's going to get hurt."
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
